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Was the Ebola virus discovered at the Tizi-Ouzou University Hospital?
By Aylan Afir / July 19, 2023 - 12:00 / 4 min read
Six people have died recently at the CHU Nedir-Mohamed in Tizi-Ouzou. Their symptoms are the same: diarrhea, hemorrhagic syndrome, severe fatigue and fever. For several months, the authorities have been trying to educate medical and paramedical personnel about the Marburg virus, which has the same symptoms, but some doctors are thinking of another dreadful and contagious disease: Ebola.
Indeed, the alert has been given since Monday July 17 by the surgeon Adel Gacem, who published a text on his Facebook page. After discussions he had with colleagues, they squarely suspect that the virus is that of Ebola. "These symptoms lead us to strongly suspect the beginning of the spread of the Ebola virus," said Dr. Gacem in his publication shared by hundreds of people.
Dr Gacem calls for precautionary measures
If he chose to give the alert before the information is officially confirmed, it is because there are measures to be taken as a precaution. "While waiting for official confirmation from the authorities concerned, and following the exchanges I had with some of my colleagues, I personally wanted to send a little preventive message, because prevention is never too much," said the surgeon who did not fail to cite some preventive gestures which will help the citizens of Tizi-Ouzou and even other wilayas of Algeria to limit a possible spread.
“Seek immediate medical attention if you have symptoms such as fever, headache, severe fatigue, muscle aches and rash and avoid direct contact with people infected or suspected of being infected with the Marburg virus", bluntly asserts Dr Adel Gacem, who calls on citizens to wash their hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or to use a hand sanitizer, based on alcohol.
Also, the Tizi-Ouzou surgeon continues: “Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth, as this can facilitate the entry of the virus into the body, and wear a face mask in the areas where the spread of the virus is suspected or confirmed”. For him, people should avoid crowds and maintain a physical distance of at least one meter from other people. They should also favor outdoor activities and ventilate closed spaces, as well as regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches and telephones.
Dr. Gacem concluded his status with a call to follow the recommendations of health authorities and this did not fail to remind all Internet users who commented on the publication, the years 2020 and 2021 and the deadly coronavirus pandemic . These are virtually the same measures that Algerians and citizens around the world have been called upon to take to stem the spread of the virus. It must be said that the fear is seen in the comments, because the covid-19 has left many scars in society.
No diagnosis can confirm the presence of the Ebola virus.
In reaction to the information that quickly made the rounds of social networks and put the wilaya on alert, Professor Abdelkrim Benali, head of the infectious diseases department of the CHU, explained on Radio Tizi-Ouzou that "the cases deaths recorded in recent days at the CHU Nedir-Mohamed are most likely due to heatstroke and the heat wave experienced by the wilaya in recent days.
“However, the CHU services, in particular the emergencies, remain mobilized for the care of patients and an epidemiological investigation is underway on the ground”, adds Professor Abdelkrim Benali, who recommends that the population avoid exposing themselves to heat and to hydrate regularly.
On the evening of Tuesday, July 18, a press release from the hospital came to support Professor Benali's statements. “The CHU of Tizi-Ouzou, which remains the only regional establishment, […] recorded an influx of patients evacuated from health structures, not only local but also regional, like the wilayas of Bouira, Boumerdes, Béjaïa”, explain the officials of the CHU, who announce "five deaths […] recorded during the last forty-eight hours" and explain that "it is in this very particular context and concomitant with the tragic loss of a practitioner practicing within the establishment, which occurred last Sunday”.
It is the death of this practitioner who was at the origin of the rumors which spread, affirming that an infectious disease prevailed at the level of the hospital of Tizi-Ouzou. But hospital officials want to be reassuring. They affirm that after “review of the files of the deceased patients, it was concluded that no track directs […] towards a viral infection, even less an epidemic. And no confirmed case of Ebola, to date, has been recorded on the territory of the wilaya”.
https://observalgerie.com/2023/07/19/societe/virus-decouvert-chu-tizi-ouzou-maj/
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Case of Ebola in Tizi-Ouzou: the denials of the Ministry of Health and the CHU Nedir Mohamed
By Mahdi Amine July 18, 2023 at 7:09 PM
Today, a crazy rumor has circulated on social networks according to which cases of Ebola virus infection have appeared in the wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou . Internet users even spoke of several deaths !
As a document attesting to the veracity of "the information", several Facebook pages have circulated a facsimile of a ministerial note of June 1, 2023 sent to the health authorities of the wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou and which concerns "the strengthening of the surveillance and alert system in the face of the threat of Marburg virus haemorrhagic fever ”.
From then on, a semblance of a wind of panic began to blow among Internet users who wondered if we were not at the dawn of a new deadly epidemic. However, during the day, the head of the infectious diseases department of the CHU Nedir Mohamed wanted to reassure the population during an intervention on the airwaves of Radio Tizi-Ouzou.
Rise in deaths: the explanations of Professor Benali Abdelkrim
Thus, in his intervention on Radio Tizi-Ouzou, Professor Benali Abdelkrim, head of the infectious diseases department at the University Hospital Center, Nedir Mohamed, denied the existence of diagnosed cases of Ebola at the University Hospital of Tizi Ouzou.
"The few cases of death recorded in recent days at the CHU Nedir Mohamed are due, most likely, to heatstroke caused by the heat wave that has been raging in the wilaya in recent days," he explains.
“However, continues Pr Benali, the services of the CHU Nedir Mohamed , in particular the emergencies, remain mobilized for the care of patients”. In addition, the professor said that the infectious diseases department has initiated an epidemiological field investigation .
Finally, the head of the infectious diseases department at ChU Nedir Mohamed recommends that the population avoid exposure to heat .
The Ministry of Health denies the presence of cases of Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Algeria
Late in the evening of Tuesday July 18, the Ministry of Health published, in turn, an official denial in an attempt to silence the rumor.
“Following the spread of erroneous information on the presence of cases of Ebola virus infection and Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) in Algeria, the Ministry of Health would like to point out that to date, no case of these diseases has been identified or registered at the national level ,” the statement said.
Moreover, the ministry clarified the nature of the circular which served to give credence to the rumour.
These were, in fact, instructions that were sent to the wilayas with international entry points (air, port and land) and which aimed to invite health professionals to increase their vigilance given the prevalence of Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) in some countries.
...
https://www.algerie360.com/rumeur-sur-des-cas-debola-a-tizi-ouzou-le-dementi-du-chu-nedir-mohamed/
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Ministère de la santé Algérie, Ministry of Health, Algeria
17h
Clarification from the Ministry of Health.
Due to the continued circulation of some incorrect information related to the presence of cases of Ebola virus and Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Algeria, the Ministry of Health is keen to clarify that until today no case of these diseases has been identified or registered at the national level and that the instructions that have been sent to The states with international entry points (air, port, and land) were aimed at informing health professionals at this level to enhance vigilance, given the frequent spread of these two diseases in some countries. Professor Ali Abdel Karim, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University Hospital in Tuzuzu, confirmed that no A case of this disease, and the interests of the hospital remain alert in particular to confront the heat wave known to the country and its consequences in the event of exposure to its negative effects.
The Ministry of Health also recommended the need to take all precautions, not to be exposed to sunlight, drink plenty of water, and stay in shaded areas away from heat, especially for the elderly and children.
https://www.facebook.com/SanteDZA/posts/600870898896177?ref=embed_post
Was the Ebola virus discovered at the Tizi-Ouzou University Hospital?
By Aylan Afir / July 19, 2023 - 12:00 / 4 min read
Six people have died recently at the CHU Nedir-Mohamed in Tizi-Ouzou. Their symptoms are the same: diarrhea, hemorrhagic syndrome, severe fatigue and fever. For several months, the authorities have been trying to educate medical and paramedical personnel about the Marburg virus, which has the same symptoms, but some doctors are thinking of another dreadful and contagious disease: Ebola.
Indeed, the alert has been given since Monday July 17 by the surgeon Adel Gacem, who published a text on his Facebook page. After discussions he had with colleagues, they squarely suspect that the virus is that of Ebola. "These symptoms lead us to strongly suspect the beginning of the spread of the Ebola virus," said Dr. Gacem in his publication shared by hundreds of people.
Dr Gacem calls for precautionary measures
If he chose to give the alert before the information is officially confirmed, it is because there are measures to be taken as a precaution. "While waiting for official confirmation from the authorities concerned, and following the exchanges I had with some of my colleagues, I personally wanted to send a little preventive message, because prevention is never too much," said the surgeon who did not fail to cite some preventive gestures which will help the citizens of Tizi-Ouzou and even other wilayas of Algeria to limit a possible spread.
“Seek immediate medical attention if you have symptoms such as fever, headache, severe fatigue, muscle aches and rash and avoid direct contact with people infected or suspected of being infected with the Marburg virus", bluntly asserts Dr Adel Gacem, who calls on citizens to wash their hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or to use a hand sanitizer, based on alcohol.
Also, the Tizi-Ouzou surgeon continues: “Avoid touching your face, especially your eyes, nose and mouth, as this can facilitate the entry of the virus into the body, and wear a face mask in the areas where the spread of the virus is suspected or confirmed”. For him, people should avoid crowds and maintain a physical distance of at least one meter from other people. They should also favor outdoor activities and ventilate closed spaces, as well as regularly clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, light switches and telephones.
Dr. Gacem concluded his status with a call to follow the recommendations of health authorities and this did not fail to remind all Internet users who commented on the publication, the years 2020 and 2021 and the deadly coronavirus pandemic . These are virtually the same measures that Algerians and citizens around the world have been called upon to take to stem the spread of the virus. It must be said that the fear is seen in the comments, because the covid-19 has left many scars in society.
No diagnosis can confirm the presence of the Ebola virus.
In reaction to the information that quickly made the rounds of social networks and put the wilaya on alert, Professor Abdelkrim Benali, head of the infectious diseases department of the CHU, explained on Radio Tizi-Ouzou that "the cases deaths recorded in recent days at the CHU Nedir-Mohamed are most likely due to heatstroke and the heat wave experienced by the wilaya in recent days.
“However, the CHU services, in particular the emergencies, remain mobilized for the care of patients and an epidemiological investigation is underway on the ground”, adds Professor Abdelkrim Benali, who recommends that the population avoid exposing themselves to heat and to hydrate regularly.
On the evening of Tuesday, July 18, a press release from the hospital came to support Professor Benali's statements. “The CHU of Tizi-Ouzou, which remains the only regional establishment, […] recorded an influx of patients evacuated from health structures, not only local but also regional, like the wilayas of Bouira, Boumerdes, Béjaïa”, explain the officials of the CHU, who announce "five deaths […] recorded during the last forty-eight hours" and explain that "it is in this very particular context and concomitant with the tragic loss of a practitioner practicing within the establishment, which occurred last Sunday”.
It is the death of this practitioner who was at the origin of the rumors which spread, affirming that an infectious disease prevailed at the level of the hospital of Tizi-Ouzou. But hospital officials want to be reassuring. They affirm that after “review of the files of the deceased patients, it was concluded that no track directs […] towards a viral infection, even less an epidemic. And no confirmed case of Ebola, to date, has been recorded on the territory of the wilaya”.
https://observalgerie.com/2023/07/19/societe/virus-decouvert-chu-tizi-ouzou-maj/
------------------------------------------------
Case of Ebola in Tizi-Ouzou: the denials of the Ministry of Health and the CHU Nedir Mohamed
By Mahdi Amine July 18, 2023 at 7:09 PM
Today, a crazy rumor has circulated on social networks according to which cases of Ebola virus infection have appeared in the wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou . Internet users even spoke of several deaths !
As a document attesting to the veracity of "the information", several Facebook pages have circulated a facsimile of a ministerial note of June 1, 2023 sent to the health authorities of the wilaya of Tizi-Ouzou and which concerns "the strengthening of the surveillance and alert system in the face of the threat of Marburg virus haemorrhagic fever ”.
From then on, a semblance of a wind of panic began to blow among Internet users who wondered if we were not at the dawn of a new deadly epidemic. However, during the day, the head of the infectious diseases department of the CHU Nedir Mohamed wanted to reassure the population during an intervention on the airwaves of Radio Tizi-Ouzou.
Rise in deaths: the explanations of Professor Benali Abdelkrim
Thus, in his intervention on Radio Tizi-Ouzou, Professor Benali Abdelkrim, head of the infectious diseases department at the University Hospital Center, Nedir Mohamed, denied the existence of diagnosed cases of Ebola at the University Hospital of Tizi Ouzou.
"The few cases of death recorded in recent days at the CHU Nedir Mohamed are due, most likely, to heatstroke caused by the heat wave that has been raging in the wilaya in recent days," he explains.
“However, continues Pr Benali, the services of the CHU Nedir Mohamed , in particular the emergencies, remain mobilized for the care of patients”. In addition, the professor said that the infectious diseases department has initiated an epidemiological field investigation .
Finally, the head of the infectious diseases department at ChU Nedir Mohamed recommends that the population avoid exposure to heat .
The Ministry of Health denies the presence of cases of Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Algeria
Late in the evening of Tuesday July 18, the Ministry of Health published, in turn, an official denial in an attempt to silence the rumor.
“Following the spread of erroneous information on the presence of cases of Ebola virus infection and Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) in Algeria, the Ministry of Health would like to point out that to date, no case of these diseases has been identified or registered at the national level ,” the statement said.
Moreover, the ministry clarified the nature of the circular which served to give credence to the rumour.
These were, in fact, instructions that were sent to the wilayas with international entry points (air, port and land) and which aimed to invite health professionals to increase their vigilance given the prevalence of Ebola and Marburg hemorrhagic fever (MHF) in some countries.
...
https://www.algerie360.com/rumeur-sur-des-cas-debola-a-tizi-ouzou-le-dementi-du-chu-nedir-mohamed/
-----------------------------------------------------
Ministère de la santé Algérie, Ministry of Health, Algeria
17h
Clarification from the Ministry of Health.
Due to the continued circulation of some incorrect information related to the presence of cases of Ebola virus and Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Algeria, the Ministry of Health is keen to clarify that until today no case of these diseases has been identified or registered at the national level and that the instructions that have been sent to The states with international entry points (air, port, and land) were aimed at informing health professionals at this level to enhance vigilance, given the frequent spread of these two diseases in some countries. Professor Ali Abdel Karim, Professor of Infectious Diseases at the University Hospital in Tuzuzu, confirmed that no A case of this disease, and the interests of the hospital remain alert in particular to confront the heat wave known to the country and its consequences in the event of exposure to its negative effects.
The Ministry of Health also recommended the need to take all precautions, not to be exposed to sunlight, drink plenty of water, and stay in shaded areas away from heat, especially for the elderly and children.
https://www.facebook.com/SanteDZA/posts/600870898896177?ref=embed_post
@vbka_
Rebbi yerhamha. Let's hope that the results of the Institut Pasteur will quickly provide answers. #DjabellaMaya